Former TV child star Tahj Mowry knows all about growing up in the public eye. And to a certain extent, he can relate to what Justin Bieber is going through at the moment. Mowry, who currently stars in ABC Family’s Baby Daddy, advice for the 19-year-old is to reevaluate “who were your friends before you were Justin Bieber.”
“Maybe take a break from the people you’re hanging out with now,” he says.
For Mowry, it’s all about who you surround yourself with. “I know my friends,” he says. “I know they are true friends. I know they have my back. I feel like someone in his circle should have been like ‘Maybe you shouldn’t get in that car right now,'” he adds, referring to Bieber’s recent arrest for driving under the influence, drag racing and driving with an expired license.
The former Smart Guy star says he took a break from the spotlight to do some growing up. He went to high school and even attended college. Now 27, he believed what saved him from going down Bieber’s path was a very close relationship with his family, namely mom Darlene, who continues to be his manager, and sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry.
“I don’t blame [Justin] for what he’s going through,” Mowry concluded. “It’s not his fault I feel. He’s just growing up.”